Ron Acts a Man
by Salome Weil
Summary: What would happen if Ron hadn't given into Lavender's wiles after that match? Oneshot. Drabble, fluff, AU.


**I don't own Harry Potter.**

**AN: Just a little cliched piece of fluff that I dreamed up a moment ago. Since no one thinks I can write Ron-Hermione, apparently. Short, sweet and to the point, is my motto. So, without further ado: what would happen if Ron had come to his senses when Lavender kissed him?**

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Hermione restrained herself from leaping into his arms, like she did every other time they won a match. It wasn't that she didn't want to let Ron know how she felt, or would rather not have his arms around her in the hugs he usually reserved for Harry; it was that, well, he was the boy. He should be the one to let her know how he felt first, shouldn't he? That was how it was supposed to work, anyway.

Not that he'd know it, since he seemed to be awfully distracted by the waves and shouts coming from all the other witches who suddenly seemed very interested in him. She pushed her way forward and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Great job!" she congratulated him in a forced, cheerful voice. He turned around from whooping with the rest of the team and there was an awkward pause as he looked down at her.

Then his face broke into a proud but shy smile and he put his arms about her.

Everything else in the world ceased to matter.

People were still cheering; and he was telling her thanks and he was glad she'd come (although why wouldn't she be there, since she was at every other game- it was silly of him, really); but she shut her eyes tightly against the noise and the sights and brought her hands up around him as well. Her heart was beating a million miles a second, but he didn't need to know that. He couldn't know it, anyway, what with all his quidditch gear still in the way and that ridiculously adorable helmet on his head. And he was sweaty and gross, and her face was buried in his chest, but she was suddenly the happiest witch in existence.

She _had _to be. Because Ron was holding her. Her!

But just as her arms started to close tightly around his back he pulled away; and her hair caught in his protective chest gear; and there was a long, awkward moment where they both didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Ron seemed to decide that laughter was more appropriate and an apologetic smile wound its way across his face while she brought up her wand and uttered a quick spell. Her hair came free and she stumbled back from him a step while he was still laughing.

She gave a short smile back up at him and then turned to Ginny, desperate to retract herself from the situation and avoid further embarrassment. What was more humiliating than trying to prolong a hug when the other party clearly didn't want to hold you any longer? It was like kissing someone and getting your braces stuck together. Not that _that_ had happened to her, ever.

In her ecstatic congratulations to Ginny she missed the tender, wistful look that crossed Ron's face and the hand that he reached out to put on her shoulder. She did not miss the person who grabbed that hand in place of her, however. How could she? Lavender Brown was not a girl who took kindly to being ignored and she'd clearly had enough of Ron's avoidance because she not only took the outstretched hand- the one meant for Hermione- and pressed it to her bosom; she proceeded to throw her arms about Ron's neck and snogged him, right on the lips. In front of everybody. In front of the entire team and all their friends.

After he'd already agreed to go to that stupid Christmas party with her!

Hermione was furious and hurt and she didn't know what else. She felt Ginny put a hand on her shoulder. Heard her say, "Oh, Hermione-"; but she wasn't sure what happened between those moments, because she'd just begun to raise her wand again when Ron thrust Lavender from him. His eyes were wide and blue and he was breathing heavy, but one would need to, after having the oxygen sucked out of one by a leech like that Lavender, right?

Hermione's hope, which had plummeted to the ground so cruelly moments before, rose again, fluttering feebly in her chest.

"I'm _with_ someone, Lavender," he said firmly to the girl he still had by the shoulders.

Her jaw dropped. "What? Who? I've loved you _all year_!" she wailed.

"Hermione," he said, and looked straight at her.

The fluttering wings took flight again. "What?" she asked. She nearly expected him to ask her to conjure a girl up, or go fetch someone for him, she was so unused to him saying her name for any reason other than that he needed help.

Of course, he did need her help right then, but surely he wouldn't be so unkind- he must really mean it, mustn't he? He wouldn't simply latch onto her in order to put off Lavender, would he?

He took his hands from Lavender's shoulders and held them out to Hermione again. His face turned red and he seemed to have trouble forming the words, as badly as he had fourth year, but they finally made their way past his lips. "Be my girl?"

Aside from the "WHAT?" that came from Lavender's direction, no one said a word. Hermione didn't even respond at first and the silence drew out another moment before someone thought it would be a good idea to start chanting "Hermione, Ron, Hermione, Ron!"

Ginny cast a glare about the room and a few people smacked the idiot in question.

Hermione cleared her throat, her face as pink as Ron's. "Um…you're asking me to go out with you? In front of everyone?"

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"In front of everybody."

"Yeah," he mumbled again. "Just said that, didn't I?"

Then Hermione did a very un-Hermione like thing. She screeched with joy and flung herself into his arms, the way she'd always wanted to. Ron didn't even stagger back, just caught her up in his arms tightly the way she'd wanted him to a few moments ago- the way _he'd_ wanted to, ever since last year, pretty much; and listened to her repeat the word yes like a mantra against his neck.

His heart thrummed with what felt like a strange energy and she finally slipped back down to the floor, though she kept her arms about his neck by standing on tiptoe. He smiled down at her sheepishly and she returned the bashful expression.

Looked like she was the happiest witch in existence, after all.

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**AN: Awwww. **


End file.
